Obesity Rising in Some States

Despite recent improvements in childhood obesity, the overall rate increased in six states last year and decreased in zero.

September 4, 2014 by Chris Kardish Governing Magazine

The report, called the State of Obesity, is sobering after some recent signs of progress. The situation has improved since 2005, when the obesity rate increased in nearly every state, but overall rates remain static or have edged upward slightly. In 2013, no state’s obesity rate declined by a statistically significant margin.

“While we’ve seen some progress on the childhood obesity front, the results remain mixed for adults,” said Jeff Levi, the executive director of Trust for America’s Health, in a conference call with reporters. “Quite simply, obesity in America is at a critical juncture,” he later added.